As I scramble to purchase those last minute gifts this holiday season, I find myself in a bookstore, contemplating the fact that my life has been an amazing adventure enriched by the power of
books.
I first fell in love with books as a young child while listening
to my father read about Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh. Later, I relished the challenges associated
with deciphering the silly words and rhymes found in Dr. Seuss books. That is when I began to appreciate the power
of the written word -- marveling at how descriptive language could make a meal
of Green Eggs & Ham seem
appetizing! In elementary school, I often found myself so engrossed in the adventures
of super-sleuths Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, that bedtime came and went
without my knowledge. I laughed with Huckleberry
Finn and Tom Sawyer; cried with Scout and Atticus Finch; embarked upon
adventures with Robinson Crusoe and Beowulf; and celebrated the triumph of
good over evil with Harry, Hermione, and Ron in a magic-filled world. To this day, some of my best friends can be
found on the pages of books in faraway places like Africa or outer space; in
different time periods, past or future; and in make believe lands such as Lilliput
and Narnia.
In addition to reading for enjoyment, somewhere along the
way I began to read for information and self-improvement. That process began as I strove to internalize
the timeless truths presented in Aesop’s
Fables. Reading a biography about
Louis Pasteur as a child impressed upon me the impact that one person can have
on the entire world. I even practiced my
foreign language skills by reading the French versions of works such as Le Comte de Monte-Cristo and Les Miserables. At this point in my life, I find that my
default process for learning something new is to scour the literature and learn
all that I can about a subject.
Books have taken me to places and times that I could never
access on my own. They have exposed me
to thoughts, perspectives, cultures, and languages that would otherwise not be
a part of my experience. Books have
shaped me – my understanding, my perspective, my moral code – and each book I
place on my nightstand or upload onto my Kindle represents a promising
opportunity to further enrich my life.
As you finish up your holiday gift shopping, I offer you this challenge: Enrich a life; give a book!
by: Courtney Cadwell, Principal of Gardner Bullis School @CourtneyCadwell A version of this blog post recently appeared in the Gardner Gazette.
A couple of months ago, I hosted two Edmodo employees,
Dan Carew and Irina Blok, during classroom visits to Egan Junior High. Both
Dan and Irina wanted to see Edmodo in action in classrooms. They were
wondering....“How are students using Edmodo? How are teachers using Edmodo to
communicate with their students? How is Edmodo creating a community in the
classroom? How do students like Edmodo?”
Within a few minutes of their visit, Dan and Irina had
broad smiles-they were impressed. Karen Kehlet and Julie Jenkins deftly led
their classes using Edmodo as a foundation to weave digital resources within
their English lessons. By logging into Edmodo, students had quick access to instruction
documents, their digital assignment and a collaborative Google presentation.
Students create a slide for a collaborative
Google presentation during English class.
Student Learning Challenge Using Edmodo and Google presentation, students had to demonstrate their
understanding of compound sentences by creating a slide to add to a
collaborative Google presentation within 15 minutes. While students were working, teachers
and students could see each other’s progress and collaborate. At the end of class, students had time to review each other's work. The students in Karen and Julie’s classes are using
Edmodo in an approach that integrates Google Drive products, allows students to
submit work “paperlessly” and encompasses high levels of collaboration at the
same time.
Can Edmodo transform the way that we communicate and
learn from each other? Absolutely!
Edmodo Across Los Altos School District
These teachers aren’t the only ones that are using
Edmodo in Los Altos. Since we introduced Edmodo in August, all teachers created
Edmodo accounts. Many teachers use Edmodo to connect with grade level
colleagues across the district and to share resources and innovative curriculum
ideas. Principals and administrators include important documents within specific folders on Edmodo. As part of our iLearn classes, participants join specialized Edmodo
groups to gain access to a wealth of resources and conversation forums to
discuss their ideas online...even after our class time is over! At last
count, at least 42 of our 225 teachers have launched Edmodo within their classroom.
And more are planning to start! With Edmodo, powerful conversations and
collaboration don’t end when the class time is up, Edmodo allows people to
continue the conversation and continue their learning.
So how are other teachers using Edmodo? How might a teacher get started with Edmodo in their classroom? How do we go about enriching and strengthening our use of Edmodo and taking it to the next level?
Just Getting
Started...Edmodo as a Communication Tool
Edmodo implemented at a basic level can be an excellent
communication tool for a classroom community. Many
teachers are using Edmodo to inform students of class assignments, tests and
homework. What is the benefit? How is this different from a standard class
website? Edmodo goes beyond the traditional one-way communication strategy of
most teacher websites and incorporates the student interaction
opportunities. Within Edmodo, students can ask their classmates questions, ask for help or respond to another person’s inquiry. For classes that meet for short periods of time or rotations, Edmodo is useful to extend the learning beyond the class time frame. If questions aren't answered or need a followup, Edmodo is a great forum! Edmodo
allows for teachers and students to communicate within a closed online
classroom community which is only available to their class. By using
Edmodo, students are building cooperation skills and learning how to reach out
and support their peers.
More
Opportunities for Student Participation and Interaction
Edmodo provides opportunities for more student
interaction within a classroom community. In particular, students who may not
interact in class, may in fact, respond to each other’s posts within the group
discussion. Recently, an interesting comment stream took place in a fourth
grade class at Santa Rita, all related to books! One of the students asked her
classmates to recommend books for her to read. Lots of students chimed in!
Girls and boys alike, shared titles they enjoyed or aligned with her interests.
With Edmodo, students that may be shy or less likely to speak up in class, have
another means of communicating with their peers. Edmodo gives a new venue
for students to communicate with each other in a safe manner. As students use
Edmodo, they practice digital citizenship skills and learn how to be a part of
a safe, online community.
Many of LASD iLearn Classes are Powered by Edmodo! By using
a Group Code, teachers gain access to a wealth of resources and
a built in network of LASD teachers interested in
learning and discussing the same concepts.
Using Edmodo
to Post Digital Resources such as websites, videos and more!
Edmodo features are effective for sharing
digital and multimedia resources. Mary Hamilton, the Chorus teacher at Egan, is using Edmodo to post music files for her class. Her students listen to their musical parts, download the sound files and practice their choral parts. Chris Patterson, a fifth grade teacher
at Oak, regularly posts video links and relevant websites for his fifth grade
teaching colleagues across the district. Occasionally, Robin McLaren, a
fifth grade teacher at Santa Rita, will pass along Chris’s recommended
resources to her students. In fact, Robin commented
recently that Chris “is gathering such a following” from her own students! Why
is this unique? Even though these teachers are at different schools, by virtue
of Edmodo, students in Robin’s class are benefitting from Chris’s insights and
research! Thank you Chris!
Fourth grader Amanda shares an article
with her classmates on Edmodo.
Students are
sharing online resources with each other as well!
By linking a URL or website to a note, students can
share interesting articles, videos or websites with each other. A student DJ group at Egan uses Edmodo to share their student created music projects with each other!Students love to hear their classmates' musical compilations. Just last
month, I beamed with pride when a fourth grade student from Santa Rita posted a
link to an article about a teenage innovator from Africa to all the students in
her class. Students read the article and commented on it within their
class. Was this an assignment? Nope! These students are learning and reading
interesting articles recommended by their classmates...just for fun! With
Edmodo, even nine and ten year olds can share digital resources to extend the classroom dialogue with their group of
peers. If students are hesitant, some teachers require student contributions of relevant websites or
video lessons at specific times throughout the year. Julie Present, a sixth grade teacher at Springer, had her students create and share Educreations lessons that reviewed concepts before a test. In this case, students not only shared the website link, but were also creators of the digital content as well!
Going
Paperless is A Reality with Edmodo
“Going paperless” is something many teachers are
striving to achieve. However, relying solely on Google drive and Google
drive sharing features can be a digital management nightmare. Especially if a
teacher has over ninety students! Luckily, Edmodo has a system in which
teachers can create a digital assignments and have organized rosters for their
classes. When students complete their assignment, whether it is a Google
presentation, document, Glogster poster or Pixton comic, they simply click on
the “Turn It In” button and submit it to their teacher. In fact, Karen
Kehlet, Egan Junior High teacher commented, “By using Edmodo, I get a greater
percentage of work turned in and on time. And instantly, I can see who has done
it.” Edmodo’s process for digital assignments submissions streamlines the
process for teachers; so teachers can quickly provide feedback to students
versus sorting papers and tracking missing student assignments.
In order to submit an assignment online,
students simply click "Turn In" and
link their digital product. Teachers immediately can see
which students have turned in an assignment with Edmodo.
Getting
Creative: Edmodo Used For International Student Collaboration
Some of our teachers are getting really creative with
Edmodo! Julie Present linked
classes with Erin Zaich, a former sixth grade teacher at Covington Elementary,
who now teaches in Korea. The teachers formed a TransPac Book Club, using Edmodo
as a platform for five online book club discussions within their classes.
After students shared ideas and responded to questions on Edmodo, they
held five separate Skype sessions over several afternoons. Students were
excited to share their insights with other kids their age. They were also
curious about how students in Korea would relate to characters and themes
within the novels.
By utilizing the small groups feature in Edmodo, these
teachers facilitated online discussion groups to create a valuable student
international learning experience. Especially since all students needed to communicate
their ideas in an appropriate and polite manner to participate in virtual
discussions with people they have never met face to face. What an incredible
experience!
Dan Carew, Product Engineer from Edmodo, speaks to
Egan students about working at a start up company and
how his team is recreating the Edmodo iPad app.
Spotlighting
the Innovation in Los Altos
Just last week, Edmodo reached 15 million registered
users. It is clear that the students and teachers in Los Altos aren’t the
only ones harnessing the benefits of Edmodo. Yet we must be doing something
special! As Edmodo is updating their site, they requested to photograph a few
classes to feature innovative learning and collaboration on their redesigned website.
I’m delighted to share that Dan Carew, Irina Blok and I will visit Karen
Kehlet and Julie Jenkins’ classrooms again this week. This time we’ll have
an accompanying photographer who will capture some of the powerful learning and
collaboration within these classes.
It is More Than the Tool, It Is How Teachers
Integrate the Tool
Interestingly, the photo shoot isn’t just for taking pictures of students using Edmodo. The photographer is trying to capture the essence of what is created by thoughtfully integrating Edmodo: an engaging, participative
and enriching learning experience. Photos will be focused on raised hands,
groups of students working together and teachers working with small groups of
students. For it isn’t about the tool, but how hard-working and
innovative teachers integrate tools like Edmodo within their curriculum to create an ideal learning
environment. The most skilled teachers mold, shape and stretch tech tools
to new bring learning to new heights. They use tech thoughtfully to enhance and
enrich student learning. We are fortunate to have such creative minds at work here in Los Altos.
If you’d like to learn about more ways to use Edmodo in your classroom,
check out 20 Ways to Use Edmodo or the Edmodo Teacher Roll Out Resource page. Feel free to contact Ellen Kraska for individualized support to get started with Edmodo in your classroom. In addition, two Edmodo classes will be offered as part of the iLearn Winter and Spring Series in the Los Altos School District. Ellen Kraska is the Technology Integration Instructional Coach within the Los Altos School District. She is passionate about edtech, creativity and collaboration within innovative learning environments. You can email her at ekraska@lasdschools.org and/or follow her on Twitter @kraskae.
How do you take on something
new? Everyone goes about it in different
ways. Some take it head on, while others shy away and hope it goes away. Still others take the gradual steps toward
mastery.
I think it is the level of motivation that drives us in which approach
to use. Think about starting anything
new, whether it’s playing a sport or a game, or something professional like
teaching a new lesson, or incorporating technology into the classroom. I can
remember when graphing calculators were the big push for middle school and as a
6th grade math teacher I was asked to use them during lessons. At first it was a learning curve not only for
the students, but for me too! Together as
a class, we learned how to download an app and link the calculators together to
share that app before moving on to the lesson.
As my comfort level increased, I even began to seek out lessons that could incorporate the use of the graphing calculator. A more recent change or new learning for me
was moving to California. Not only was I faced with a new job, but also trying
to find my way in new surroundings. Coming not only from a different district,
but a different state, I keep telling myself that I need to take some time to
learn. Everything seems so fast-paced that we forget that learning takes time
and practice. When we begin a new task,
new role or any kind of new learning, it brings on a sense of uneasiness. Piaget calls this disequilibrium. We need to be kinder to ourselves and allow
for the learning and the practice of the new skill or role to become balanced (assimilation
and accommodation). It’s with this
practice that easing into the new will become more comfortable.
As important as this is for
ourselves, we need to apply this to our students as well. At times they feel uneasiness with new
concepts. As teachers we try to connect
their prior knowledge to the new concept to help make that transition to the
new learning. This is where hands-on
experiences help to make those connections.
As educators, we strive to develop students as lifelong learners as we
seek to continue the learning in ourselves.
I am now able to get to the district office without my GPS, but have also
discovered a new route to avoid traffic.
That’s the funny thing about learning… it never stops. It is a continuous experience if you want it
be. By: Karen Wilson, STEM Coach
At a time when 'ed-tech' (education technology) is getting
so much attention, there is little time given to computer science education.
Some believe that buying new hardware, and using cool apps is all that is
needed. Others consider computer literacy (using computer tools) to be a
sufficient step; they believe we must leave anything more to computer
scientists. This is equivalent to teaching our students to read but never
asking them to write. Today, our students must learn to create technology, not
just consume it. To prepare for a future where computing will be integrated
into every field, our students must know how computers work. In addition,
computer science teaches problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity - digital age skills that go across all areas.
Fortunately, the Los Altos School District goes beyond
computer literacy to actual computer science education. It is a unique public
school district; every sixth grader learns computer programming in a required
class. The weekly CSTEM program (http://tinyurl.com/lasdcstem
) uses creative and collaborative projects to teach the basics of computer
hardware and programming. I am that lucky teacher who gets to create the
curriculum and teach this exciting program.
This week, Dec 9-15 is CS Ed week http://www.csedweek.orgIt is a week designated to bring awareness to
the need for computer science education. As my personal pledge for CS Ed Week,
I want to share some of the work LASD students do in my class. I want to share
what is possible in computer science education at this early age. I want to
share so that other schools may learn from LASD's example and provide computer science
education as a required program at an early age to all students.
In my classes, students learn a little about computer
hardware and create a 3D model of a motherboard using SketchUp www.sketchup.com. They love
this 3D design tool and use it to create rooms and houses. Most of the school
year however, is spent learning programming. This year, the sixth graders
started with some programming basics using Processing.js(http://processingjs.org/
, the JavaScript implementation of the Processing programming language on the
Khan Academy Computer Science platform www.khanacademy.org/cs
). These early projects show them how to create art through code. After this,
they will work with a partner to create a math video game using a visual
programming language like MIT's Scratch. They will learn how to design, program
and create with technology. They will learn math and problem solving as they
write and debug their programs. Most importantly, they will learn to use
computing to showcase their creativity.
My goal is to show my students that Computer
Science can be fun. I want my students to be excited about learning to code.
And they are. Every class, they rush in excited to know what they will learn.
'Oh good, we are doing more programming!', said a girl at Covington last week;
they are looking forward to learning more each class. They enter the classroom
asking me questions like 'When will we learn Python?" "Can you show
us how to make a game with gravity?" My student’s enthusiasm to learn is
what keeps me energized as I go from one school to another, and one class to
the next. Their enthusiasm is what lets me teach 19 classes a week, and still
spend many hours outside of class tweaking and customizing the curriculum. The
LASD students are quick learners and this inspires me to keep hunting for new
creative tools and projects. I am also fortunate to have the wonderful support
of the 6th grade teachers in this program.
I learn along with my students. I learn how to blend
discovery learning methods with structured computer science lessons. After
doing the same lesson multiple times, I learn to keep my demos short and
interactive. Students do not want to watch demos – they just want to try it
out. One of my challenges is to get students to leave the class when it is
over. The 30-minute class is always too short, and many students want to stay
on and try one more line of code while I am trying desperately to get them to
log off. I have the next class eagerly waiting outside.
Learning does not stop when the class is over.
We use Edmodo www.edmodo.comas an online class to extend learning and I
post homework and quizzes online. I get student messages and questions online
after school and on weekends. Sometimes there are questions on coding and
sometimes a request - 'Can you show us next time ...' Mostly, it is excited posts of their latest
programs.
Check out my article explaining the first
programming project with student samples here
While credit for the programming projects goes
to our students, the credit for creating the CSTEM program goes to LAEF and the
LASD administration. LASD has created an innovative learning environment by
making place for computer science education in our schools. CS Ed Week may be
just this week, but for the approximately 500 sixth graders at LASD, CS
education is every week.
Sheena Vaidyanathan is a computer scientist, and
artist and has been teaching in LASD for the last 6 years as an Art specialist,
Digital Design instructor and now as the CSTEM teacher. If you want to learn more on CSTEM, check out the
latest CSTEM parent newsletter (http://tinyurl.com/lasdcstemnov2012
)If you want to know more on why students should
learn coding at an early age, read Sheena’s article on KQED's MidShift blog. http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/09/should-kids-learn-to-code-in-grade-school/ Emailsheena@lasdschools.org Twitter
@sheena1010
I don’t consider myself an ultra-sensitive or overly emotional person. I don’t cry often, but I was so touched by Matt Harding’s work, I started to cry during his presentation this week at The Big Ideas Fest. His videos from 2008 and 2012 showcase his travels to over 42 countries to unite people...all through the power of dance! They involve a goofy grin and a bit of silliness too! His 2008 video has over 44 million hits! Check it out!
Why was I so touched? As I watched the videos, I reflected on how we all laugh and dance in the same language. We have more in common than we realize! Do our students think about what they have in common with kids across the globe? I reflected on how a goofy dance had the power to unite so many people. With today’s technology we have the power to connect with others throughout the world. How might we facilitate more international learning opportunities for our students? How can we connect our children here in Los Altos to other children internationally? What could the future hold for our youth if we help them form connections with each other across the globe?
Presentations and Action Collaboration!
For the first part of this week, I felt like I was thousands of miles away, even though I was just in Half Moon Bay! The Big Ideas Fest, hosted by Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME), is not your typical conference! Instead of featuring solely presentations, the format interweaves group collaboration activities called “Action Collabs.” Within my specific Action Collab, we explored the design challenge: “How might we create opportunities for learning through international collaboration.”
I was so fortunate to learn from the diverse backgrounds and the individuals within my Action Collab. Just to give you a feel for some of the individuals in my group; one person captures photos and video for Qatar Foundation International and she visits classrooms all around the world! Her footage from schools in Kenya and parts of Asia was phenomenal! Another person is a curriculum developer with Road Trip Nation. We had several educators in our group. From a teacher from inner city Boston who connects with students in Qatar, to another who works as the head of a school in San Francisco and a government official who focuses on education from a statewide perspective, we had a variety of experiences in Education. With this collection of people, the dialogue we had around promoting more international collaboration was incredibly rich! Frankly, I found returning to speaker presentations as a refuge and time to reenergize! As Kami mentions in her last post, I appreciated balance between collaborative time and the time to think. With the flow of phenomenal speakers and a challenging group task at hand, the days were extremely invigorating. How might we make everyday in a classroom like a day at Big Ideas Fest?
From a Moment to a Movement So who were some of the presenters and what did I glean from them? A few of the presentations made an unforgettable impression. First of all, I loved hearing from Director Nirvan Millick about his creative process developing the Caine’s Arcade film. His message: We should always have our “antenna up” looking for opportunities. One day, when he needed a new door handle, he stumbled upon an amazing boy named Caine with a cardboard arcade and a film was born! After he posted Caine's Arcade to You Tube, the video went viral, and his life took a new course. Not only did he raise over two hundred thousand dollars for Caine’s scholarship fund, but the film spawned a Global Cardboard Challenge. He recently launched a nonprofit organization called Imagination Foundation that has a “mission to find, foster, and fund creativity and entrepreneurship in more kids.” All of this has happened in less than a year! It is amazing how this moment transformed into a movement to provide more support for creativity for children.
Taking Ideas to A Larger Scale
Here I am with one of the "Coke and Mentos" guys at Big Ideas Fest!
Playing with something seemingly simple can lead to big results! For example, Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz were curious about the chemical reaction that happens when a few mentos are added to a two liter of Diet Coke. You may have seen the video featured above showing how they took this idea to the extreme! They kept taking their idea to a bigger and bigger scale-until finally, they discovered what would happen if they used lots of Mentos and 100 bottles of Diet Coke. Whoa! That took perseverance! How might we encourage students to design science experiments with everyday objects? I can only imagine what our students here in Los Altos would come up with! During their presentation, Fritz and Stephen encouraged the audience to follow their passions and find something that inspires a personal drive. Whether it be post-it notes or chemical reactions, they explained how people can take the “ordinary to the extraordinary” by being obsessive, stubborn, taking things to the extreme and remembering to set limits. I was lucky to have a photo opp too! So how does this all apply to teaching and instructional coaching? As educators, I think it is so important that we always have our antenna up, as Nirvan Millick was when he walked into an auto mechanic shop last Spring. We never know what may happen if we take advantage of a "teachable moment" and take cue from our students to create a new learning experience. Matt Harding shows how something as simple as a dance can help people learn about our world and its many cultures. Within the Big Ideas Fest, I heard so many people touch on the importance of pursuing intellectual curiosity, fostering international connections and allowing students and teachers to tap into their passions. For we never know, by providing time and structure to play with an idea, or complete a design challenge, a change that seems "small" could turn out to be the next Big Idea! Ellen Kraska is the Technology Integration Instructional Coach within the Los Altos School District. She is passionate about edtech, creativity and collaboration within innovative learning environments. You can email her at ekraska@lasdschools.org and/or follow her on Twitter @kraskae.